I want to thank Kurt Erlenbach and the other, veteran members of the 50+ forum for their periodic, gentle prodding to get all of us 50+ cyclists to get a colonoscopy. I'm 56, and my family physician had been after me for years to get mine, but I always exaggerated the unpleasantness of the prep and the procedure in my mind and always found an excuse not to get one. But after being a member of the 50+ forum and reading discussion threads like this one, I wised-up and got mine today. My results were fine--I had no polyps, and now I can breath easy. This does lift a load off my mind, since I had two paternal aunts who died of colon cancer.

The reason I am posting today is because I want to emphasize that the actual prep and procedure were far less unpleasant than I imagined. I used two tips which were provided earlier in this discussion thread to make the prep easier: I chilled the mixture (Golytely) in the refrigerator, and I used Chrystal Light ("Pure" variety, lemonade flavor) to flavor it. I drank 8 - 10 oz at a time, and I held my breath when I chugged it down so only a little of the flavor "leaked" through.

The actual procedure was a non-event. The sedation knocked me out completely, so it amounted to a 40-minute nap. I was a little groggy on the way home, and I slept for three hours once I got there. That's it. Now I have to take it easy for the rest of the day.

So, if any 50+ member is putting off getting their colonoscopy because they think the prep or procedure will be extremely unpleasant--don't, both have been improved so much it really is a non-event for most people, and the benefits gained are so worth the very little inconvenience/unpleasantness involved.